Newfoundland Air Mail 1919-39
January 25, 2023
Newfoundland has played an important role in the development of long-distance air travel. As the easternmost place in North America, it became a popular runway for many aviation pioneers attempting to cross the Atlantic by air in 1919. It also served as a refueling point for round-the-world attempts in the 1920s. Amelia Earhart made two record-setting flights from Newfoundland, in 1928 and 1932. The advent of passenger flights in the 1930s brought the pioneer period to a close, but established Newfoundland as a major stopover between Europe and North America. This June will mark 104th Anniversary of the Alcock & Brown flight (On 15 June 1919 came the telegram with the news that the Vicker's Vimy landed in Ireland, having completed the 1,860 mile flight in 16 hours. The news was received with great enthusiasm. "Well, it must be something for a man in Ireland today to be able to say Yesterday, when I was in America", quoted the pilots). The rest is history.
We are pleased to present the award-winning collection assembled by Jean-Claude Vasseur, author of "Newfoundland Air Mails 1919/1939" published in 2015. The collection tells the story of the Great Transatlantic Air Race and the struggles of early aviation. Many rarities and unique items are included.
The auction will take place on Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at 1:00 PM at Cherrystone Auction Galleries and on CherrystoneLive.
| Images | Description | Current Bid |
 | Lot #9 The Great Transatlantic Race The Martinsyde "Raymor" - Raynham and Morgan 1919 3c red brown, with manuscript overprint "Aerial Atlantic Mail, J.A.R." handwritten overprint applied by Postmaster General J. Alex Robinson on a 3c Caribou (117), tied by St. John's machine cancel, April 19, 1919 on cover with "Per Aeroplane Raymor NF to Britain, by Major Morgan and F.P.Raynham" corner address in manuscript, "received in London" with "8 January 1920" datestamp and initialed signature in green ink, also "London 7 Ja 20 F.S. 66" backstamp, filing fold well away from the stamp, v.f., signed Diena, Bolaffi, etc., with 1966 certificate (Shortly after the Hawker-Grieve flight left Newfoundland, another attempt was made by Frederick Raynham and C.F.W. Morgan. They took off from Quidi Vidi, Newfoundland, traveled a few hundred yards, and then crashed into the ocean. Another attempt was made in July, with the same results. The mail from these flights was recovered and transported to England by ship. Letters with manuscript overprints (which were made by W.C. Campbell, the Secretary of the Postal Department) arrived safely, but the contents of the mail bags had been damaged by water. As a result, many of the Newfoundland stamps had floated off the envelopes. Less than 20 covers are known) (Unitrade CAN $50,000)  Catalog #C1a Catalog Value $ 35,000 | Price Realized $19,000.00 |
 | Lot #10 The Great Transatlantic Race The Martinsyde "Raymor" - Raynham and Morgan 1919 3c "Martinsyde" manuscript overprint "Aerial Atlantic Mail, J.A.R." handwritten overprint applied by Postmaster General J. Alex Robinson on a 3c Caribou (117), used in combination with unoverprinted Caribou 1c, 2c, 4c, 5c, 6c and 8c adhesives on large cover used from St. John's April 14, 1919 to London, stamps machine canceled April 19 on departure, addressed to Captain H.A. Anderson, Newfoundland Pau & Record Offices, endorsed "Per favour of Major Morgan aviator to England", with London 7 Jan 20 Foreign section (F.S.66) arrival pmk on back, cover folded in the middle, away from the stamps, other wrinkles, cover tears and toned spots, the Martinsyde stamp without any defects, rare and spectacular cover, with 1948 BPA certificate, also Harmer's guarantee signed by Cyril Harmer, Catalog #C1a Catalog Value $ 35,000 | Price Realized $10,500.00 |
 | Lot #11 The Great Transatlantic Race The Martinsyde "Raymor" - Raynham and Morgan 1919 (19 April) General Post Office St. John's Newfoundland official letter from Postmaster General Robinson to his sister Mrs. F.O. Bell in England "with greetings and congratulations by the Aeroplane "Raymore" which may leave on her voyage across the Atlantic Air Ocean within the next few hours." A fine historical item, signed Longhi | Price Realized $475.00 |
 | Lot #12 The Great Transatlantic Race The Martinsyde "Raymor" - Raynham and Morgan 1919 (2 May) cover to England, franked with unoverprinted 3c Caribou, tied by St. John's machine cancel, endorsed "Newfoundland to Great Britain Trans Atlantic Flight per Aeroplane "Raymour" By Courtesy of Major C.W.F. Morgan", with sender's (Geo. A. Hutchings) handstamp and London 7th Jan 20 arrival pmks on back, some cover wear and toning, one of only two known Supplementary Mail covers (according to C.H.C. Harmer's "Newfoundland Air Mails", two weeks after that mail bearing the manuscript overprint was remitted to the Martinsyde team, very few unofficial covers were added on May 2nd) | Price Realized $2,800.00 |
